


Of Words and Art

by reaneri



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Art Student Kazunari, Canon Divergence, Character Study, College, Dinner dates, Fluff, Getting to Know Each Other, Library, Literature Student Tsuzuru, M/M, Mutual Pining, Possible Light Angst, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, University, Yes they're in the same university here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25593046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reaneri/pseuds/reaneri
Summary: Encounters, dates, misunderstandings, and college romance.
Relationships: Minagi Tsuzuru/Miyoshi Kazunari
Comments: 38
Kudos: 93





	1. Art Books

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which student library assistant Tsuzuru Minagi found himself doing extra work when a certain art student ended up sleeping in the library a few minutes before closing time.
> 
> Little did he know that their encounter is not a one-time thing.

Tsuzuru’s strongest suit is juggling his university workloads and part-time jobs. Hard work somehow became second nature to him at this point that he grew accustomed to the consequences: exhaustion, sore muscles, and having little-to-no-sleep. Despite all that, he still wakes up every single day and takes a step forward towards his dreams.

Every Wednesday, he proceeds to the library right after his three-hour afternoon classes to fulfill his duties and responsibilities as a student library assistant. His shift starts from 5 p.m. until closing, including a dinner break. 

The job wasn’t easy, but the benefits are worth it. Besides the allowance that he gets from being a student assistant, he also gets access to a lot of books which puts him at an advantage as a literature student.

Upon arrival, he placed his bag under the table and started his work at the circulation desk. The first few minutes were quiet, so he took a book under the Literature section and read it to pass the time.

“Excuse me~”

He looked up from his book and saw a guy with dirty blond hair and bright green eyes at the front of the desk. Tsuzuru put his book down and greeted his schoolmate with a small smile. “Hello. How can I help you?”

“It’s a bit embarrassing but I don’t frequent here a lot, y’know~” The guy scratched the back of his neck. “Y’see, I’m working on an art piece for my class and it’s reaaally important. You know how professors have high expectations and standards? Yeah, me too!”

_Ah, why do I have to listen to this guy’s story. Can he just go straight-to-the-point?_

“Hmm, so are you looking for some sort of reference book? An inspiration, perhaps?” Tsuzuru asked.

“Oooh, you get me! Yup, I came here exactly for that.”

“I see. You should be able to locate them on this floor, in the middle section. Arts and Recreations should be right before the Literature section. Are you looking for anything specific?”

“Hehe, so you know your stuff, huh. That’s really useful! But since you asked, maybe books about Japanese painting or Japanese culture will help.”

“Ah. There’s a whole section for that.” 

The university library is huge so oftentimes, he needs the library computer’s aid to look for specific types of books or titles. However, Tsuzuru fixes and checks the Arts & Recreations and Literature sections a lot so he pretty much had it almost memorized. He stood up and left the desk.

“Please follow me.” 

They reached the Arts section and showed him the shelf filled with books about Japanese art, ranging from traditional art like paintings, sculpture, origami, and calligraphy to modern art like manga and animation. The section has reference books, art studies, zines, and researches — heaven for students majoring in Japanese art. For a moment, Tsuzuru felt proud since he was the one who organized this section a few weeks ago.

“Woaaah, thank you!” The blond’s excitement was practically emanating in the library, especially with how much his eyes sparkled.

“Please be quiet…” Tsuzuru frowned. To his horror, he watched as the guy took one book after another, which slowly piled up on his arms. Nothing wrong with that, except he _prayed_ that the art-loving guy will return it properly after use.

“Do you… need some help…?” Concern was written all over his face.

“There’s no need! I got it!” He carefully scanned the books on the shelf and then stopped after collecting eight books varying in thickness. 

“Okay… Well, I’ll be back. If you need any kind of assistance, I’ll be at the desk.”

After that, the next hours had been slow. He took a break to eat, processed some books to be borrowed, assisted some students who are looking for specific books, and continued his reading. Fortunately, he has no classes and jobs every Thursday so he can at least take it easy. He organized his schedule in his mind and decided to start working on a short story assignment tomorrow so that his works won’t pile up, and that he’d have enough time to revise.

Tsuzuru glanced at the clock on the wall. Ten minutes until closing. He watched as the students staying in the library thinned out, saved for those who are doing last-minute studying, reading, and researching. He stood up to return the book he read when he noticed the same guy who asked him for Japanese art-related books earlier at one of the tables.

Books messily piled up on his table, along with an unruled notebook and a short pencil. Beside him, his bag was widely opened and… well, he was slumped on the table, sleeping.

 _Good grief_. Didn’t he notice the sign not to leave your valuables unattended? It’s not the library staffs’ responsibility if ever one of his things got stolen. Judging from the books he borrowed and his overall (weird) presence, the guy must be an art student. Aren’t they carrying expensive art materials all the time?

Tsuzuru approached him and lightly tapped his shoulder. “Senpai? We’re closing in…” He checked the clock again. “...six minutes. Please wake up.” 

He stirred a little but did not fully wake up. 

“Hey. Wake up. Seriously...” Tsuzuru glanced around. Other students are packing their things, returning the books, and leaving the library one by one. “C’mon, everyone is leaving. You still have to return the books you took from the shelf.”

While waiting, he couldn’t help but take a peek on the guy’s notebook which is just lying open. Usually, whenever he glances at tables and notebooks, he sees handwritings, both neat and messy, but in his case, the opened page is filled with sketches and small writings containing notes and details. It was pretty much random — doodles of birds, butterflies, flowers, mountains, and waves, but he drew them in many styles with just a pencil. Amusement filled his eyes that he didn’t notice the guy waking up. 

“Ah. What time is it?” 

Tsuzuru immediately looked away. “It’s already 8:56 p.m. We’re closing at 9. You’ve been asleep for some time now...”

The guy closed his notebook and shoved it in his bag, then placed his pencil on the holder inside. “Haha, sorry for troubling you. By the way, you saw my sketches, right? I’m still compiling elements for my design so it wasn’t really anything yet~”

Tsuzuru’s cheeks turned bright red. “I don’t think that was nothing…”

He stood up and wore his backpack. Together, they carried the books and returned them to their proper shelves. “Have you read all eight of those? You can always borrow them and bring them home for a specific amount of time, you know.”

“I kinda scanned and took note of anything that caught my attention~” The guy replied. “I’ll probably borrow books some other time. But for now, I’ll just visit the library from time to time.”

After returning the art books, they went to the Literature section to return the book that Tsuzuru borrowed. To his surprise, the guy followed him. 

“So… you’re an art student?” He didn’t know why exactly he was striking up a conversation but for some reason, it felt natural.

“Yup! Major in Japanese painting! It’s easy to tell, I guess~?” 

“I don’t think any science or liberal arts major would ramble about arts or their project as you did earlier… Besides, your overall personality screams that you’re an art student.” When they arrived, Tsuzuru returned the book on the top shelf.

“Dude, are you stereotyping~? Haha, well, that’s fair. How about you?”

“M-me? Well, I study literature…”

“Oooh, it suits you! You look like you’re going to be a great storyteller in the future! Or maybe you already are? Heh, you should show me your works sometime! By the way, I’m Kazunari Miyoshi, a 3rd year student~”

“Miyoshi-san…” He was speechless. Out of everyone he talked to, he’s the only one who showed interest in his major outside his department. And to think that he just met him today… “Um, I’m Tsuzuru Miyagi. 2nd year.”

“Tsuzuroon, are you free tonight~? I haven’t eaten yet, so I could use a companion.”

“Tsuzuroon!? W-well…” Quickly, he thought about the things he needed to do and his expenses for the week so far. In normal circumstances, he would decline but since he doesn’t have to worry about classes, an early part-time job, and older brother duties (since he started staying in a dormitory this semester), he decided to go along. There shouldn’t be anything wrong with loosening up and socializing. “Yeah, I am.”

“Great! It’s my treat. I wanted to thank you for your help. Besides, I troubled you, right~? It’s already past closing time and I kept you here.”

“Are you sure!? I guess that’s okay… Thank you.”

Once they got back on the circulation desk, Tsuzuru signed and checked out on the logbook, closed all the air-conditioners and lights, and made sure the library was locked before leaving.

“It’s totes hard being a student library assistant, huh. So, should we go, Tsuzuroon?”

“And whose fault was it that I ended up doing extra work? Seriously...” He dramatically sighed. “After you, Miyoshi-san.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi, thank you for reading! Just a little note, I made them study at the same university here to do something about my college romance fantasies, lmao. I'm pretty excited about this fic because I always wanted to write TsuzuKazu. <3
> 
> It's been a while since I've written a multi-chaptered fic so feedbacks are welcomed! Feel free to scream at me on twitter (@reanneri) as well~


	2. Story Excerpts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuzuru and Kazunari deepen their relationship by exchanging information and stories about themselves. They learned that they have one thing in common that would definitely change their college lives.

“Oh trust me, workshops are brutal.” Just recalling his Creative Writing classes is enough to make him sigh out of dejection. “We have these sessions wherein we sit down with a group, read parts of our pieces, and everyone would take turns on commenting. Except they don’t really hold back with their criticisms…” 

“Man, you’ve got it rough too, huh? For us, it’s the professors! Some of them have specific styles that they prefer so it’s hard to do your own thing~ But who cares about that, right? I decided that it’s better to just go wild!”

It was already nearly 10 in the evening, yet they found themselves caught up in a conversation that just went on and on; from Tsuzuru’s student library assistant duties, Kazunari’s project, and now, their respective classes and experiences as a college student. Both of them already finished their food, but in order to have an excuse to stay inside the restaurant, they’re taking their time with their iced teas.

“Miyoshi-san, earlier you told me to show you my works, right?”

“Yup, I wanna read them! I’m sure it’s totes awesome!” 

“Hehe, then I want to see yours too. Especially the one you’re currently working on.” From the fragments that he saw and heard from his sketches and explanations, he knew that the overall output is going to be something interesting, but he’s really curious about how his senpai would execute his plans.

“Oooh, the Japanese painting? Of course! Although it might take me some time to finish that~ Ah, Tsuzuroon, wanna exchange Lime and social media accounts?”

“Well, uh, sure.” Both of them took out their phones from their respective pockets. “Here.”

They exchanged phones and Lime information. When Kazunari got his phone back, he opened Instablam and clicked the search button. “Hey, ‘blam’s the thing right now~ I’d say it’s impossible for you not to have one.”

“Ahaha, about that…” Tsuzuru scratched the back of his head. “Well, I do but—”

“Then let me follow you! Then you should go and follow me back~” 

“Miyoshi-san, it might not have the content that you want…” 

“Ahaha, try me! I like having different contents on my feed.”

“Fine, fine. Just don’t tell me I didn’t warn you…” Tsuzuru felt embarrassed. As much as he likes exposure, randomly giving his Instablam account to a guy he just met is entirely something else. “It’s tsuzuru underscore writer… Yours?”

Kazunari typed Tsuzuru’s username on the search bar the moment he got it. He was greeted by an account filled with shots of books, words, poetries, and a decent number of followers. “Dude, this is neat! You wrote these? Looks like I can already read some samples of your works!” 

“Most are just excerpts from pieces I’ve been writing both for myself and for school requirements…” Tsuzuru also opened his Instagram app and saw a new follow from user KazPIKO. He clicked the account to follow back but was genuinely surprised when he saw his followers count. “Miyoshi-san, you didn’t tell me you were this famous!”

“ _A mechanical doll is still a machine. Putting it on the same level as a human being is in itself human vanity. Machines are incompatible with humans. If we try to confuse the two, disaster will certainly come of it someday._ ” Kazunari read Tsuzuru’s recent Insta post aloud. “THIS is an excerpt from one of YOUR stories? Tsuzuroon, this is totes amazing! I’m not kidding, just from these lines, I can already imagine a steampunk-themed play!”

“Hey, did you even hear me?!” He can feel his cheeks turning red. God, how can _anyone_ manage to spend time with him sticking his nose on other’s business like that? “It’s not yet finished, okay… I’m still stuck with the ending.”

As if he didn’t really hear him, Kazunari continued on scrolling. Judging on Tsuzuru’s posts, he had read a fair number of books, both classics and modern, and Japanese and English. It explained his literacy, and it fuelled Kazunari's eagerness to know more about him. Kazunari loves meeting and befriending other students from different departments and colleges to widen his connections, but he could genuinely see Tsuzuru being a close friend.

Tsuzuru followed him back and checked his feed. He has lots of posts, but the most recent one caught his attention. He remembered him taking a shot of the food that they ordered earlier, but he didn’t expect him to post it at the same time. Besides their meals, the picture captured Tsuzuru's outfit and hands (thank goodness it doesn’t show his face, otherwise he would have strangled him on the spot) which doesn’t look too bad. Tsuzuru clicked the post and pressed the heart button. 

_Dinner with a new college friend!_ He stared at the caption for a few moments, not knowing that it brought a smile on his face.

“Ah.” Checking the time on his phone brought him back to reality. “It’s getting late, Miyoshi-san. We should probably head back.”

“Right! Sorry for taking up so much of your time, Tsuzuroon!”

“Don’t worry about it.” Tsuzuru pocketed his phone and finished his iced tea. “I don’t have classes tomorrow and my dorm is nearby, anyway.”

“Aw, lucky~ My dorm is also just three minutes away! So where do you stay?”

Tsuzuru can’t believe it. Out of all places, out of all streets, out of all dormitories, he chose to stay on the exact dormitory where Kazunari has been staying for two years. They were on their way now, with both of them wearing a surprised look on their faces.

“No way, man! I haven’t seen you in the study area or anywhere!” Kazunari exclaimed. 

“I only moved a month ago and I don’t really stay there since I often work in my room. Luckily, my roommate is quiet, so I can work without getting distracted.” 

“Still! You should visit sometimes! My friend cooks and bakes for those who pull an all-nighter~ His snacks are all delish!”

“I’ll consider it.” They were both greeted by the guard when they entered the building. “I stay on the 3rd floor. You?”

“Hey, that’s unfair! I stay on the 5th! You can easily run when you’re late for your morning class…” 

Even though they could easily take the elevator, they both took the stairs without thinking or talking about it.

“Haha, sometimes, when I know that I’ll be late, I don’t come to classes altogether. Except when there’s something important to do, of course.”

“I should probably start doing that too…” Kazunari contemplated.

“Don’t follow my examples! I only do that when I pull an all-nighter and would rather sleep…” Tsuzuru replied. “Uh, Miyoshi-san. My room is on this floor. I guess I'll see you soon?”

“Sure, sure~ I’ll make sure to send you DMs so make sure to read 'em! Night, night!”

For now, he waved goodbye and walked towards his room. He inserted his room key on the keyhole and with a soft click, the door opened. The lights are already closed so he entered silently, assuming that his roommate is already sleeping.

It was a long night and he had a lot of things to process. But first, a good warm shower to relax his aching body is in order. He left his bag, jacket, and phone on his bed and left.

After a few minutes, he received two messages while he was in the bathroom.

> **Miyoshi-san** : Tsuzuroon! I know it’s a bit sudden but we should totes exchange schedules! I forgot to mention but if you’re free this friday afternoon, please drop by on art department’s building~ We’re having an exhibit and I hope to see you there ☆
> 
> **Meguru nii-chan** : i hope you can come home after your classes on friday… im sorry but i got called for work so no one will take care of the others ;; thank you, tsuzuru! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KAZUNARI!
> 
> I'm wondering... is the pacing too slow? Is it conversation-heavy? I'm kinda overthinking things...  
> The next chapters should be longer! Thank you for the hits, kudos, and comments on the first chapter. They motivated me to update early~
> 
> Anyways, I quoted Clockwork Heartbeat here for Tsuzuru's post and translation credit goes to KRHS from yaycupcake! I suddenly just had this idea that Tsuzuru is one of those insta users who post books they've read and pieces they've written. You know. Writer things. 
> 
> I'm so talkative aaaaa. I hope everyone's having a good day!


	3. Content Creator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exhibit day and a little flashback on Kazunari's days.

All of the events unfolding right now started because of a happy coincidence and Kazunari had never been so amused and grateful.

Although there are still two days left before the week ends, he is already counting it as a wild, wild week. All these deadlines staring right at his face are taking up all of his energy and creativity, and when he was about to give up, an encounter allowed him to keep his sanity.

Last Monday evening, he remembered how he wasted his time slumped on his desk. 

He spent the first hour bringing out necessary materials: a small 2B pencil, an eraser, and an unruled notebook containing his rough sketches. After reviewing the description and rubrics of the project, he slouched on his chair while blankly staring at whatever his eyes landed on; may it be the wall or the objects on his desk. Kazunari tried to brainstorm, tried to think of an outcome or even a general idea, but his mind is as blank as his gaze. 

He reached for his phone. At first, he thought of surfing the web to get some inspiration but he ended up taking his sweet time scrolling on Twitter and Instablam while all slumped up.

The next day, he took some snacks with him and sat down on his chair. Eyes burning with determination (and desperation), he lifted his pencil and began to conceptualize. A few minutes had passed and a few rough sketches had been drawn when Kazunari stopped to look at his progress. 

Out of dissatisfaction, he erased everything. The clock is ticking, and he still has to purchase new art materials, conceptualize, and then do the whole time-consuming process of turning his visions into a painting.

“Please get me out of this block~” He softly pleaded, but his words faded like dust in the wind. Kazunari thought of working in the dorm lobby this night, but he ended up falling asleep.

Wednesday, he thought that a change in scenery might help. He had two options: work in a cafe or in a library. Truthfully, ever since entering college, he could count in his two hands the number of times he had visited the university library. However, he heard how good the arts section is from his classmates so he decided to stop by.

_“It’s a bit embarrassing but I don’t frequent here a lot, y’know~” He didn’t have a clue why he’s ranting on a complete stranger, but maybe a part of him wanted someone to empathize with his situation. “Y’see, I’m working on an art piece for my class and it’s reaaally important. My professor has high expectations and standards, and I don’t wanna be killed, fufu.”_

_The student library assistant personally guided him to the library’s Arts & Recreations section (and maybe he was seeing things but he looks excited, almost proud?) wherein he found a lot of great materials. He didn’t bother controlling himself so he took the books that caught his attention. _

_Once he’s seated on one of the tables, he scanned the pages of the books and drew whatever would catch his attention -- birds, flowers, anything. It was far from his rough but detailed sketches, but starting small definitely did wonders. His hand started moving on its own and just from the little elements, he could already visualize something._

_After two hours, he decided to rest. Using his phone camera, he took a picture of the messily stacked books and his notebook with little doodles. Kazunari posted it on Instablam with the caption, “Studying!~ #ForArtSchool #Library”._

_“Ladies love an outgoing guy who is surprisingly studious, right~? I’m sure this post will have hundreds of likes later~” Kazunari muttered as his post is already gaining likes seconds after posting._

As if dropping by on the library and having sudden spikes of inspiration are not enough, he also learned that the easy-going student library assistant is a content creator like himself. Meeting and befriending students in college are some of the things he enjoys doing so naturally, he didn’t let the opportunity to know him better pass. 

After that day, they regularly talk to each other through LIME. Even though their department is busy setting up for the exhibit, Kazunari’s phone is always with him and one single vibrate, one single message, would make him rush and reply within the next minute.

> **Tsuzuroon** : By the way, about the exhibit, I have afternoon classes so I still have to find some time. Will make sure to text you, Miyoshi-san!
> 
> **Tsuzuroon** : Good luck! Although I already know that you’ll nail that haha

Kazunari looked at that message again and smiled as they finished the preparation with a couple of other art students. He didn’t confirm yet but just the thought that he _might_ come filled him with motivation. 

“We’re opening in a few minutes!” A student called. The ribbons are ready. The pair of scissors are on stand-by. The venue is clean. They’re just waiting for their special guests.

“Copy~” Kazunari replied and took a couple of pictures using his phone.

Under the theme “Self-searching”, the College of Fine Arts opened its first exhibit for the school year. The ribbon-cutting ceremony proceeded smoothly and after a short speech from the project head and the department’s dean, they opened the place for anyone who'd like to check art students' weeks-worth of racking their brains, failed sketches, spills of both tears and paint on floors and clothes, and sighs of frustration and relief.

Occupying only one of the art department’s classrooms, the venue is not the biggest so they had to do the viewing per batch. Kazunari helped by entertaining those in line and answering any queries that they have.

“U-um, you’re Miyoshi-senpai, right? User KazPIKO on Instablam?” 

Kazunari looked at the direction where he was poked to see a shorter brunette beaming up at him. With a large grin, he greeted her back. “Hmm? Yup, that’s me! You know my blam? Hey, you’re already cool in my book~”

“It’s amazing to see you in person! I’ve been a long time follower, and when I heard that one of your pieces will be displayed in this exhibit, I made sure to book the date on my calendar. I’m a Communication Arts freshman student here. If it’s not too much to ask… can we have a selfie?”

“A selfie? Of course~ How’s my hair?” 

“Don’t worry, it looks good, senpai!” The girl brought her phone out and opened her camera. After settling for a peace sign, she captured two photos.

“Thank you so much!” She briefly bowed down.

“No problem at all, you cutie~” Kazunari whipped out his phone and opened his Instablam app. “Mind telling me your username? So I can follow back if I haven’t yet!”

“H-huh? Are you sure? My feed is very… personal… it’s unlike yours which I find very neat!” 

“Oh come on, I don’t mind at all. Mine is very personal too, you know? Besides, learning more about people is totes cool!”

“Um, okay. Thank you again!” She gave him her username and as promised, Kazunari followed back. 

“Make sure to tag me on our pictures~” After a nod and another bow, the girl went back on the line. At the same time, the previous batch left the venue so they allowed another batch to enter and have their time to view the artworks. 

“Miyoshi, why don’t you take a break?” A student who’s taking the same major approached him. When he checked the time on his phone, he realized that it was already 1 in the afternoon and he hasn’t taken his lunch yet.

But other than that, he checked his LIME just to see that there are no updates from Tsuzuru.

“Don’t worry~ I can continue for a few more minutes,” Kazunari replied with a bright smile. He can’t miss Tsuzuru if ever he visits.

Fifteen minutes passed. He welcomed new guests and explained a few house rules. A couple of men and women personally approached him too, and he made sure to entertain them.

Thirty minutes. He documented the activity by capturing photos of the exhibit, the visitors, and a few selfies here and there.

One hour.

While explaining the general concept of the exhibit to the new batch, he felt his stomach grumbling.

_Ah. He won’t come._

“Hi, I’ll take a quick lunch~ Can you take over for me?”

“I’ve been telling you to take a break for so many times now. Of course. Take your time, Miyoshi.” 

He took a quick glance at his phone just to make sure that he didn’t miss any notification. No texts, no anything. And yet, when he arrived at the cafeteria, he still quickly ate his meal, in the hopes that a certain someone might still drop by.

“Miyoshi! Someone arrived and they were looking for you.”

When he came back to receive that news, his face immediately brightened. He took out his phone and—

“Wait, let me check their name on the logbook. Omi Fushimi? Seriously, how did you gain a friend like him? He’s on the muscular and tall side!”

“Oh. Omimi came!” Trying not to make it awkward, he slid his phone in his pocket and tried to plaster a grin. “Riiight? I keep on telling him that he has his own charms! Hehe, he’s a dormmate! I’ll make sure to thank him later! How did he react?”

“He immediately noticed which of the pieces was yours.” His schoolmate seemed satisfied enough. “You invited quite a lot of people and the social media engagement did not disappoint. If there’s an award for MVP, I’ll nominate you, for sure.”

“Haha, it’s nothing~ But thanks, man. How many hours do we have left?”

“Just two. Think you can still manage?”

“Of course, leave it to me.” 

Kazunari did not bother to check his phone one last time. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. 

_No, he won’t come._

> **Omimi** : Hey, congrats! The pieces, especially yours, were really nice. It’s Friday, so I’m cooking for the usual group today. What time will you be here?

Kazunari lazily checked his notifications and his friends’ stories on Instablam when he received Omi’s message. He clicked it and replied at once. _Omimi’s cooking for tonight? I’m totes down! Let me just pack up. Will be there in less than 30 mins! Tell our dear freshies to leave enough food for me~_

> **Omimi** : Haha, I got you, don’t worry. Also, you mentioned a friend yesterday right? Feel free to invite him to eat with us.

_About that, he’s not replying to my messages so idk where he is? A bit sad, right? But Tsuzuroon might be busy~ Ah btw, you free tonight?_

“When you asked me if I was busy tonight, I thought of baking these.” Still in his apron, Omi placed a plate filled with homemade sugar cookies on the table. “Tired?”

“Oh? For me? These look nice! Thanks, Omimi!” Kazunari took a piece and ate it. “A bit but nothing I can’t manage, haha.”

“What’s up?” He removed his apron and hang it on the chair, then joined him on the table. “You never specifically ask me if I’m free.”

“Ah, just thought having a company is nice.” He shrugged then slumped on the chair. “It was honestly draining. We just finished something and now, I have to work for another one… Man.”

“It’s rare for you to complain out loud,” Omi commented and took a sugar cookie for himself. “What happened to your enthusiasm yesterday?”

“...Please don’t ask that.” Kazunari sighed. He stared at the plate of cookies for a while before getting another one. 

“Okay, I won’t ask.” He finished chewing his cookie before adding, “Well, since your outputs are all deadline-driven, I understand that sudden slumps are not exactly the best feeling. But surely, you can spend a day to clear your mind and relax? Tomorrow is the weekend.”

“Shouldn’t I spend it working on my piece?”

“Resting is also considered productive, you know.”

“That’s… a good perspective.” For the first time since dinner, he finally genuinely smiled. “Thanks, Omimi. You’re really such a mom, you know?”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Miyoshi.” 

“Okaay~ But enough being gloomy! I have lots of stories!” 

“Well, there are still a lot of sugar cookies and it’s still early so let’s hear those.”

While talking about his day, he forgot the drained feeling that sunk in his system earlier. He looked like a natural when it comes to communicating with people, but the truth is, doing that for the whole day took lots of effort. He’ll check up on Tsuzuru later but for now, recharging by talking to a close and long-time friend over homemade food is what he needs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updated!! Thank you for the comments on Ch1 & 2, you're all really sweet! <3  
> I kind of... projected... and made a Kazunari-centered chapter that explores sudden motivation spikes and slumps. Oops. Also yay for Omi! I really wanted to add some platonic relationships and went for Omi because we all love a mom friend!
> 
> Thank you for being patient with me. I hope I'm able to deliver? As always, comments are appreciated!


	4. Text Messages and Calls

“The number you dialed is currently out of service. Please try again later.”

Just to be sure, Tsuzuru dialed Kazunari’s number once again. 

“The number you dialed is currently out of service. Please try again later.”

For a moment, he stared hard at his phone with furrowed brows and sighed. He put his phone down and stared at the ceiling in his bedroom. He thought he’d finally have a peaceful time now that he’s done with both university student and older brother duties, but it was the opposite. His mind had never been this occupied. 

It’s only been three days since he knew Kazunari but if he has one notable trait, it’s that his phone is always, _always_ with him. If he could reply within a second, he would. If he could post an activity in Inste right after it happened, he would. If he could tweet every moment, he would. That’s just the type of person he is. 

He figured that right now, he might have set it on do not disturb mode, airplane mode, or who knows, he might really be in the middle of the wilderness without any service or signal. 

_My condolences, Miyoshi-san._ Speaking of social media, Tsuzuru reached for his phone to open Inste. He checked Kazunari’s _Stories_ first and saw several shots of the exhibit venue, as well as selfies and groupies with different students from their university.

What are supposed to be harmless pictures gave him a pang in the heart. 

Then it dawned on him. 

He was feeling guilty all day long about not being able to visit — but did it matter? He might be only one of the many people he invited, and with his number of fans and followers, he doubted that he’s _that_ important. Again, he sighed.

...God, this day is giving him both literal and figurative headaches. 

Earlier this day, it was just his luck that he got caught up on some task until 1 p.m. When he checked his phone, there were, if he may exaggerate, hundreds of texts and missed calls from two people: Miyoshi-san and his older brother Meguru. First things first, the missed calls are from his brother so it must be really important.

He checked his messages first. 

> **Meguru nii-chan** : are you out of class?
> 
> **Meguru nii-chan** : your sched for today is only until 12:30 pm right?
> 
> **Meguru nii-chan** : sorry tsuzuru but i have to leave in a few mins… the others already had their lunch but can i leave fetching mitsuru to you? 2 pm, at their school
> 
> **Meguru nii-chan** : reply? 

While leaving the campus, Tsuzuru quickly typed, _Classes are finished, just got caught up on something. Give me around 30 mins, nii-chan_

It was a good decision to fix his bag earlier this morning. When he got back to his dormitory, all he had to do is grab it, inform the management that he won’t be home until Sunday, and left for the nearby station. 

What was _not_ a good decision is to have a phone with less than 5% battery charge. Despite all the rushing, he kept a thought at the back of his mind: _reply to Miyoshi-san once you’re at the station, reply to Miyoshi-san once you’re at the station, make sure to AT LEAST reply to Miyoshi-san once you’re at the station — he at least deserves to hear something from you!_

Once his train arrived, he secured a safe spot first before bringing out his phone from his pocket. It wasn’t a rush hour at least, so fortunately, it wasn’t crowded inside. He checked his messages at LIME and despite wanting to read the messages, he felt like it was more important to reply immediately. 

_Miyoshi-san!! I’m really really sorry I can’t_

His phone lagged for a moment.

 _No shit_ , he stared at it with lifeless eyes. Of course, it could only mean one thing.

And the next thing he knew, his phone blinked and died.

When he arrived home after some dreadful minutes of overthinking, he was greeted by a bunch of “onii-chan, welcome back!” and his younger siblings clinging on to him. University and other personal matters were tiring, and although being an older brother should be too, he found himself smiling.

“Onii-chan has to fetch Mitsuru-chan so I’ll leave you for a while. Don’t cause any trouble, okay?” He made sure to pat them one by one before entering his room to put his bag down. He pulled his charger out and left his phone to charge. 

After fetching Mitsuru and going to a grocery store to buy some ingredients for their dinner, he was supposed to message Kazunari but he didn’t know how he ended up passing out instead. 

“Onii-chan!” He woke up with his blanket pulled out and five faces staring at him. “It’s almost dinner time. We already started cooking rice.” 

He quickly left his bed to tend to his brothers. It was only after he finished eating when he remembered to reply. In a panicked state, he rushed to his room to read his messages first.

> **Miyoshi-san** : Hey, see ya later! Passed by in your dorm room but you’re already out? So early, Tsuzuroon!
> 
> **Miyoshi-san** : We’ll be open in a few minutes~ Good luck on your classes today! <(￣︶￣)>
> 
> **Miyoshi-san** : Tsuzuroooon
> 
> **Miyoshi-san** : You coming? Man, it’s so busy around here

There were a bunch of stickers attached too that he probably bought. Seriously… 

Tsuzuru decided to call instead but here we are. Never did he imagine that one of his days will turn out like this. The more he spent checking Kazunari’s social media accounts, the more he felt like it didn’t matter if he replied or not and that stressing out over it the whole day was futile. 

Still, his conscience mattered. He typed, _Miyoshi-san,_ and stared at his phone, wondering what’s the proper thing to say. _I’m sorry I wasn’t able to come. Trying to call you right now but it says out of service?_

He reread the message thrice before sending it. He left his bed and opened his laptop to check his emails and start with the papers he has to submit. Although he didn’t have to do it right now, he felt like making himself busy.

...Except, an hour and a few minutes in, he only spent his time blankly staring at the screen with just a few words written on it. While trying to make it seem like he's doing something, someone knocked on his door. 

“Onii-chan is a little busy but come in. The door is open.”

“It’s me.” Meguru, one of his older brothers, greeted him with a smile and put down a bag of chocolate chip cookies on his desk. “My client gave me this. Thought you might want it?” 

“Eh? I’m good… Shouldn’t you be giving it to the others instead?” Giving up on getting something done today, Tsuzuru saved his file and closed his laptop. 

“It’s fine. Everyone has their own share so this is for you. Ah, am I interrupting you? If you’re doing something, it’s okay!”

“It’s fine, nii-chan. I’ll do it tomorrow morning instead.” He took a cookie and bit on to it. “Thanks.”

“Hey, you look tired,” Meguru commented and sat down on his bed. “How’s work and uni?” 

“No problem at all,” Tsuzuru replied. “Just had a busy week, but I can manage.”

Meguru gave him a look. 

“Don’t look at me like that! Seriously. It’s okay.”

“While that’s better than having things out of control, being able to _do things_ is the bare minimum.”

“What am I supposed to answer then? Nii-chan, school is great! Work is great! Something like that?”

Meguru laughed. “That sounds so forced coming from you. Well, not really, but what I was trying to say is that you can manage while still being stressed out and drained. And right now, those two are written all over your face. Step back and do something fun, Tsuzuru. College life is more than drowning in caffeine every time you have an assignment due soon or every finals week.”

“Huh? How did you know that!? And I do other things…”

“Even during your high school years, you pull all-nighters whenever you need to finish something. I imagine it’s worse now?” He gave him a knowing smile as if also saying, _I’ve been there, you know?_ “Anyway, you might not have noticed but someone is calling you. Your phone is still on silent?”

Tsuzuru’s attention shifted to his phone on his desk. When he saw the caller's name, his heart leaped. “Shit. Sorry, I…”

“Haha, no problem! Answer it. I’ll leave now.” He stood up and before closing the door, he added, “Tell me more next time, alright? And thanks for fetching Mitsuru for me. Make sure to drink water after.”

The caller is, of course, none other than Miyoshi-san. He took a deep breath first before answering. 

“Hello?”

“Tsuzuroon! I was with Omimi earlier and I left my phone in my room to charge. I just saw your message now! Didn’t mean to ignore. So, how are you? Busy day?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“Then why are you still up? Rest! If you can, go to bed. If I remember correctly, you also had to go to work after your classes the other day and that must be really tiring.”

“I actually fell asleep this afternoon actually.”

“Isn’t that good? You deserve that!”

“Okay, okay, but listen. I wasn’t able to come earlier… I’m sorry.” 

There were a few seconds of silence. Tsuzuru didn’t know what to say either so he just patiently waited for Kazunari to reply. “T-that’s okay! Hmm, I waited though, to be honest~ For you to show up or for you to reply.”

“I ran on some problems but that’s just me making excuses… Um, if you want, I’ll be free tomorrow? I can make it up to you.” 

“Huh? Tsuzuroon, are you okay?”

“Nothing life-threatening or anything serious, I promise! I’ll tell you when we meet.”

“Sure! And tomorrow, I’m planning to buy some art materials. Wanna join? Ah, but, that’s totes boring for you, I’m sure! How about I meet you after I finish?”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’ll join you. Veludo mall?”

“Yes! Can’t wait to hang out with you!”

“Miyoshi-san?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you.”

“It’s fine, silly! Normally, I wouldn’t mind being in call with you for hours but I really feel sleepy. Is it okay if I head out first?”

“You were telling me to rest when you’re the one who’s tired and sleepy. Seriously…” 

“Haha, I was just worried. Well then, see you tomorrow. Make sure to reply this time, yeah? And no staying up late! Good night.”

“Mm. I will. Sleep well, Miyoshi-san.”

When he pressed the end button, he felt like a load on his chest was removed. He took another piece of cookie and left his room to get something to drink. Amazing how a single phone call improved his mood drastically.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so so much for being patient with me! I was planning to update earlier but I've been busy and had no energy to pick up Ch4. I'm back though! I swear I'll update faster because I have things planned but so far, it's really slow? Peaaaace. 
> 
> Besides romantic relationships, I also really like platonic and familial ones so I inserted Omi & Kazu then Tsuzu & his bro here! Also, just wanna add that I haven't read a lot of their card stories so idk if I'm doing this right?
> 
> Again, thank you for supporting this fic! It really means a lot.


	5. Creative Process

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kazunari learned about Tsuzuru’s work ethics.

_“Are art materials always this expensive?” Tsuzuru asked while checking price tags._

_“Sadly.” Kazunari compared two brands of brushes of the same type. He considered their thickness and price, then picked one and dropped it on the basket._

_“If it means preserving your masterpiece for years, then maybe it makes sense.”_

_He raised his eyebrows. “You think?”_

_“That’s what art is for, isn’t it? Expressing something then preserving that feeling.”_

_Tsuzuru talked about it casually but his perceptions of things never failed to impress him._

_“Yeah, totally. Although for me, the concept of preserving is mostly an afterthought. Usually, when creating something, the first and only thing I care about is how to execute something the best way that screams ‘Kazu’s ultimate art’, ya know? And sometimes, you just do it because the deadline is near~ It’s the best motivator, apparently.”_

_He looked over the other and was about to apologize for being too talkative. But when he saw Tsuzuru’s small smile, his worry easily faded away._

_“Yeah, I get that,” Tsuzuru replied. “Do you still need something?”_

_“Just some canvas then I’m done. Tired? Bored? Do you wanna get some coffee after?”_

_“I’m okay, don’t worry.” He paused for a moment then added, “I noticed that you’re really serious about your craft, Miyoshi-san. I think it’s cool.”_

_Kazunari’s face felt hot after hearing that. He thought dragging Tsuzuru around as he slowly shopped for materials was going to be awkward but it was surprisingly chill and fun._

_...Is it okay to consider this a date?_

_A friendly date, perhaps?_

Kazunari was with two of his girl friends from one of his art classes. He was just walking out with them and the next thing he learned, he was recalling and rambling about this so-called _friendly date_.

“I dunno how to describe my friend but he’s cute! He’s a little shy but you know he’s thinking a lot, yeah? His company is so warm, like… I don’t know… hot chocolate on a winter day? Oh my God, he’s a writer. If he heard that, I _know_ he’ll say that I’m being corny. But I don’t know how else to describe—”

He squinted. The guy he’s talking about literally just passed right through his peripheral vision and now, he’s brisk walking in front of him.

They’ve only hung out twice yet that green jacket and slouch are all too familiar. He won’t miss that — not even in the middle of a million crowd.

“See you tomorrow, girls! Of course, that depends if I don’t skip tomorrow’s 8 a.m. class~” Kazunari broke from the group and jogged to catch up. “Tsuzurooooon!”

Meanwhile, the girls he was with shared a knowing look. 

_So that’s him. Kazunari’s quote-and-unquote friend._

The truth is, even though he was in a hurry, Tsuzuru still noticed Kazunari. For a moment, he slowed down to greet him at least. But when he saw that he’s busy talking with those girls, he doubled his speed and eventually passed him.

He hoped that Kazunari didn’t notice him. But at the same time, he also hoped that he did. It was complicated.

And when he heard his name being yelled at in the middle of a busy campus grounds, Tsuzuru felt happy. And also very, very embarrassed. 

_Let’s just pretend I don’t know him_ , he thought. Yet he slowed down and waited anyway.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He glanced at his senpai. “Do I know you?”

“Tsuzuroon, you wound me!” Kazunari visibly frowned. 

“You’re such a baby,” Tsuzuru muttered. 

“Hey, I heard that.” His frown just got bigger. “Going back to the dorms?”

“No. I still have work in…” He checked his wrist watch. “5 minutes. Alright, shit, I should be preparing by this time. I’ll see you later, okay? It’s just a three-hour shift.”

Reluctantly, he stopped walking. The dorm is by the right road and he had to go the other way. 

“Um, I really have to go. Sorry, Miyoshi-san!” 

“No worries but wait, do you still need your bag? I can at least bring it to the dorm.”

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all! I won’t open it so your secrets are safe~” Kazunari grinned.

“Hey, I don’t have anything like that. But here. I owe you one.”

He quickly gave his backpack and not wanting it to be more awkward than it already is, he waved his hand and went running the opposite direction.

“So let me get this straight. You’re a full-time literature student, you work as a library assistant, you work at a bakery, you’re part of a university organization, and you also help whenever you can on some short-time jobs? How many Tsuzuroons are there, really?”

“Bakery work during Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, then library assistant duties during Wednesday, yes. I usually go home after class during Friday to take care of my siblings.” Tsuzuru shrugged, as if that’s the most normal thing in the world.

“Wait. You have siblings?”

“Nine of them. I’m the third eldest.”

“Damn. How do you manage that?”

“I have to eat and I have to grind for my dreams, I guess.”

It was nearly 2 in the morning and they’re the only ones left in the dormitory’s common area. Tsuzuru was working on a manuscript while Kazunari was sketching an owl on a non-ruled notebook simply to pass time.

When he heard that last answer, he took a piece of cookie that Omi left for them and reached on the other side of the table to bring it near his mouth.

“Here. Eat.” 

Without any signs of hesitation or protest, Tsuzuru opened his mouth and carefully chewed. 

“Good.”

Kazunari sat down again. At first, he thought it was cute. But now, he’s starting to get concerned. 

Tsuzuru’s eyes had been stuck at his screen for a few hours now and he was already muttering to himself. Whether he’s simply reading his work or whether he was already questioning his sanity like every college student does once in a while, Kazunari had no idea.

“Hey.”

Silence.

“Tsuzuroon.”

Again, no answer. But the silence is replaced by the klank klank noise that his keyboard made as his fingers quickly danced around the keys.

Kazunari closed the notebook and used it to lightly hit his head. 

“Yo, Tsuzuroon. You okay, man?”

“Uh, yeah. One moment.”

“Mhm.” Kazunari suddenly felt guilty for distracting him. Still, he slid the thick notebook on his side. “Bought this for you when we were shopping, by the way. I felt like giving you something and I thought a notebook would do since you like writing. Anyway, okay, go back to your work. Just answer when you’re ready.”

Honestly, he didn’t have anything to work on tonight. And since he’ll just spend his time staring at the same old walls and ceilings in his room, he decided to keep him company. 

After a few minutes of their session, he wanted to do something too so that Tsuzuru wasn’t the only one working. That’s when he came up with the little owl sketch on the first page of the notebook that he just gave.

Kazunari leaned back on the chair and pulled out his phone. For now, he just allowed Tsuzuru to focus as he scrolled on his Instablam feed and checked his friends’ stories.

—Not a minute later, he heard a violent thump that almost made him drop his phone.

Tsuzuru just collapsed on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I’m baaack! First of all, I’m really sorry - this is so long overdue. I had a burnout after ch4 so this took a while to write. Honestly, I don’t know if anyone is still going to read this chapter after I left it for a few months, but I really want to flesh the story and finish strong~
> 
> Thank you for all your support! I really appreciate all your feedback. 💛


End file.
